Condenser.



9., L. VAIL.

CONDENSER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2. 1912.

1,199,945. Patehted. Oct. 3,1916.

WITNESSES: [N VENITOR.

6 L. I a/X 99& W

ATTORNEY.

ENS ca. Pnom-urua. WASNINOION. n. c.

GEORGE L. VAIL, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

CONDENSER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 3, 191a.

Application filed July 2, 1912. Serial No. 707,218.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE L. VAIL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Condensers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to condensers and more particularly to devices of the character employed in ice plants for the purpose of condensing exhaust steam to obtain distilled water for the manufacture of artificial ice.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a condenser of simple construction which by reason of the flexibility of its wall will automatically prevent the attachment of scale deposited thereon by evaporation of the cooling fluid.

Other minor objects of my inventions will fully appear in thefollowing description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the improved condenser in its simplest form, and Fig. 2, a transverse section taken along the line 22, Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings by numerical reference characters, my condenser in its simplest form, consists of a cylinder 2 composed of thin flexible metal and closed at its ends by means of heads 6. One of the heads 6 has an opening 7 surrounded by a screw threaded ring 8 for the attachment of a valve-controlled pipe 9 through which the exhaust steam is conducted into the cylinder from a header 10, and the opposite head has a man or hand hole normally closed by means of a cover 12, an upwardly extending vent pipe 13 for the escape of carbonic acid gas, the presence of which in the water prevents its conversion into clear ice, and a downwardly extending valve-controlled conduit ld through which water of condensation is drawn from the cylinder. A frame composed of a plurality of axially alined hoops 15 connected by parallel equidistant bars 16 is disposed within the cylinder and held in its position with relation thereto by means of set screws 17 which engage the interior surface of the same.

The condenser is suitably supported above a trough 18 and below a pair of perforated conduits 19 through which the cooling fluid is discharged onto its exterior surface at the highest point thereof. This fluid run-- ning downwardly across the exterior of the cylinder, partly evaporates and partly flows 1nto the trough through which it is conveyed to a reservoir or other suitable re ceiver. The exhaust steam is simultaneously introduced into the cylinder through the opening 7 in its head and is condensed by the cooling influence of the water continuously fed onto the exterior surface of the cylinder. The water of condensation which gravitates to the bottom of the cylinder is drawn off through the pipe 14: to be used in the manufacture of ice and the objectionable carbonic acid gas escapes continually through the vent pipe 13. The water flowing across the exterior surface of the cylinder which is heated by the exhaust steam within the same rapidly evaporates and deposits on the said surface its lime and magnesia in the form of a scale which if the walls of the cylinder were, as in most com densers of this type, non-elastic or fastened upon interiorly disposed, rigid baffle plates, would closely adhere thereto and soon seriously impair the efliciency of the apparatus.

In my condenser the cylinder being, as stated hereinbefore, made of very thin sheet metal, is resilient to a considerable degree and by reason. of its being simultaneously subjected to the cooling influence of the water as well as to the heating influence of the steam, will in the operation, continually contract and expand and its consequent vibrative movement will loosen the scale which forms upon its exterior surface. The said scale may be removed by merely tapping the said surface with a hammer or other tool if it has not already been dislodged by the pulsating movement of the metal as is usually the case.

The cylindrical shape of the condenser prevents its deformation or destruction by the pressure of the steam within the same and the frame which engages the interior surface of the cylinder being unattached to any part thereof, does in no way interfere with the vibrative movement of the meta] while it prevents possible collapse.

Having thus described myinvention what I claim and desireto secure by Letters-Patent is:

1. A condenser comprising a hollow cylinder closed at its ends and having an inlet for the admission of Vapor and an outlet for the discharge of products of condensation, the peripheral wall of said cylinder being formed of thin metal readily responsive to temperature variations, whereby a pulsating movement is produced by expansion and contraction, means for applying a cooling fluid to the exterior of said cylinder, and means within the cylinder unconnected with its said wall and capable of restricting inward pulsating movement of the same. I

2. A condenser consisting of a cylinder closed at its ends and having an inlet for the admission of vapor and an outlet for the discharge of products of condensation, the peripheral wall of said cylinder being formed of thin metal readily responsive to temperature variations whereby a pulsating movement is produced by expansion and contraction, means for applying a cooling fluid to the exterior of the cylinder, and means within the cylinder for restricting inward pulsating movement of its said wall, the said restricting means comprising an open frame loosely placed within the cylinder for contact with the inner surface of its said wall.

3. A condenser consisting of a cylinder closed at its ends and having an inlet for the admission of vapor and an outlet for the discharge of products of condensation, the peripheral wall of said cylinder being formed of thin metal readily responsive to temperature variations whereby a pulsating movement is produced by expansion and contraction, means for applying a cooling fluid to the exterior of the cylinder, and means within the cylinder for restricting inward pulsating movement of its said wall, the said restricting means comprising an open frame loosely placed within the cylinder, and set screws on said frame for engagement with the inner surface of the said cylinder wall.

4;. A condenser, including a hollow cylinder, with closed ends, having an inlet for the admission of vapor and an outlet for the discharge of the water of condensation, the peripheral wall of said cylinder being of thin metal readily responsive to temperature variations, whereby a pulsative action is produced by expansion and contraction, and means within the cylinder unconnected therewith and capable of restricting inward pulsating .movement of the peripheral wall of the cylinder.

5. A condenser, including a hollow cylinder with closed ends, having an inlet for the admission of vapor and an outlet for the discharge of the water of condensation, the peripheral wall of said cylinder being made of thin metal readily responsive to temperature variations to permit of a pulsating movement by lateral contraction and expansion when the cylinder is alternately cooled and heated, whereby to dislfodge scale formed upon its exterior surace.

6. A condenser, including a hollow cylinder with closed ends, having an inlet for the admission of vapor and an outlet for the discharge of the water of condensation, said cylinder having rigid heads to which is attached its peripheral wall, said wall being made of thin metal readily responsive to temperature variations to permit of a pulsating movement by lateral contrac tion and expansion when the cylinder is alternately cooled and heated whereby to tfiislodge scale formed upon its exterior surace.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE L. VAIL.

Witnesses:

G. J. ROLLANDET, L. RHoAD'Es.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

